What a Girl Wants: The Mean Girls Question
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
In her ever-popular What a Girl Wants series, Colleen Mondor over at Chasing Ray is asking about that notorious literary mean girls fad, specifically wondering, "Does teen literature exaggerate the mean girl phenomenon too much?" Laurel Snyder, Zetta Elliott, Lorie Ann Grover, Melissa Wyatt, Sara Ryan, Kekla Magoon, yours truly, and others have opined. As always, the conversation is rich.
On other fronts, I am about a chapter and a half away from finishing the first draft of the adult novel I've been writing this past year. If silence begins to emanate from this blog, it's only because I've lost myself, temporarily, in another place and time.
13 comments:
Hey Beth, I just found your blog after listening to another episode of my favorite podcast "writers on writing". Consider me one of your new followers ;)
Hey e, wherever you may be... I'm privileged to have you here. I love that series that Barbara does, and I am honored that you found your way to me through it.
I don't know about exaggerating too much. My 10 year old is already experiencing some mean girls!
From what I hear from my 12 year old son, the mean girl phenomena is alive and strong in his school. It worries me for when my little girl gets older. I wonder if these girls think it's some kind of power that gives them a "place". Scary to think that this may be how many girls look for affirmation.
Good luck on finishing your novel. How exciting to be that near the finish line :)
Your new novel is going to be AMAZING!
Congrats on nearing the first-draft finish line...
XO
Anna
way to go on nearing the end of your first draft!
I went to a small school and I didn't experience this too much. But I'm already seeing it with girls in my daughter's class. She's in 2nd grade. Scary.
The "mean girl" phenomenon is definitely getting worse. But I don't think teen literature is perpetuating it,it's merely shedding some light on a growing problem. When I was doing research for SISTERS OF MISERY, I went into a lot of schools to talk about girl bullies (I still am, atually) and you would be surprised at the psychological warfare going on among girls. Even at a very young age.
Every book signing event I do, I always say, "I hope you never meet girls as mean as the ones in my book." And I always get the same answer, "I already have." :(
I'm excited that your adult novel is nearing completion!
I really like this picture.
Good for you on the draft!
Mean people suck.
;)
Beth, you always find the perfect images!
I think Mean Girlism starts to ebb around 10th grade, thankfully. Those middle school years? I told my niece to keep her chin up--it gets much better.
Good luck as you finish your WIP!!! Can't wait to hear more about it.
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